Burial-casket.



Patented Feb. 4, 1902.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. A. TURNEY.

BURIAL CASKET.

(Application filed Oct. 22, 1900.)

(No Modql.)

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UNrTED STATES PATE T OFFIcE. 7

JAMES A. TUBNEY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

BU RlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,804, dated February 4, 1902.

Application filed October 22, 1900. Serial No. 33,858 (No model.)

' and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a burial-casket having a separable top and bottom; and its object is to provide means for automatically, hermetically, and permanently sealing the casket. Heretofore burial-caskets designed to be hermetically and automatically sealed have proven unsatisfactory, owing to the great length and surface of the joints to be closed. It is found that such joints canbe made air-tight and water-tight only by the use of manually-operated clamping devices.

A further object of my invention is to overcome the objections here pointed out, and more particularly to provide a casket in which the vertical portion, the bottom, and lid may be hermetically sealed together manually and i in which the final hermetic scaling is effected by means of a panel in the lid of the casket adapted to be automatically and inaccessibly looked and sealed in place.

I attain these objectsby means of the de vices and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, made part thereof, in which Figure 1 is an end view of my casket closed. Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-section of the same; Fig.3, a top plan view of the bottom plate of the lid-panel hereinafter referred to; Fig. 4t,a central vertical longitudinal sectional elevation of the lower part of the casket, showing the elevating-board in operative position; Fig; 5 a top plan view of one end of the casket with the lid removed, it being understood "that both ends are substantially alike;

Fig. 6, an'enlarged vertical sectional elevation ofthe angle formed by the meeting bottom and side or end of the casket, taken cen trally of either of the hinges 7 8, hereinafter referred to; and Fig. 7 a front elevation of the same.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings, in which-- 1 indicates the sides and ends of the casket, consisting in the construction shown of a single strip of sheet metal shaped over a former I and having its meeting ends brazed at one of the corners. V

2 is the bottom of the casket, preferably having at its margins a continuous upturned flange 8, into which the bottom of piece 1 exactly fits.

The top of the casket consists of three parts viz'., the marginal part 4, which rests upon and engages the upper margin of the piece 1, the cover-piece 5, having its outer margin secured to the inner margin of piece 4 and being provided with' an inwardly-projecting horizontal flange'5, and the panel 6, resting removably upon the flange 5 and being adapted to be locked thereto. A series of hinges is secured in the inner angle of the parts 1 and 2', the hinge-leaves 7 being secured to the bottom of the casket, the leaves 8 being free to swing against and parallel with the side of part 1. There is a hole 8 through each of the leaves 8, adapted when the leaf is pressed against the .side of the casket to receive the head of the axially-revoluble bolt 9, the inner end of whichis screwed or otherwise revolubly secured in the jwall of part 1.

The head of the bolt 9 at its outer end is angular and adapted to receive a proper wrench, as at 10. That partof the head of the bolt which lies in the same plane a'sithe hinge-leaf 8 when pressed against the inner. side of the basket is formed as a cam, as at 11, which cam with the turning of the bolt engages the upper side of the hole 8 inthe leaf 8. A lip or flange 12 at the side of the cam prevents the hinge-leaf and the bolt from becoming disengaged when the cam isturned into operative relation with the hole S.

The lid may be secured to the body of the casket in the'same manner that the body portion is secured to. the bottom, as just described, by means of a series of hinges, having leaves fixed to one part and leaves adapted to engage cambolts on the other part, as-

slot and in a groove 15 in the bottom piece 2, directly beneath the lower edge of the part 1, is placed a suitable packing 16. The meeting faces of the panel 6 and the flange 5 are oppositely grooved, and in these opposed grooves is also a suitable packing 17 The panel 6 is arched upwardly from its side and end margins. To the bottom side of the panel is secured a flat plate 17. In the space between the parts 6 and 17 is disposed the automatic locking mechanism now to be described.

18 18 are two rods running lengthwise of the plate 17 and terminating in bolts 19. These rods are movable longitudinally in guides 20 and are held normally apart at their adjacent ends by a stout spiral spring 21.

22 22 are bolts disposed at a right angle to the rods 18 and sliding in guides 23. Toggle-pieces 24., pivoted to the bolts 22 and to the rods 1 8, serve to transmit motion from the rods to these bolts. Bolts 22 and theirguides and connections with the rods 18 may be provided at both sides of plate 17; but in practice fixed laterally-projecting lugs 24 at one side of the plate and movable bolts at the other side will be found sufficient. The bolts 19 and 22 at their outer extremities are preferably beveled. Set-screws in the guides 20 for the rods 18, as at 19, hold the spring 21 compressed and the several bolts retracted until by the removal of the same these parts are released.

Pivoted to the bottom of the casket, as at 25, Fig. 4, is a board 26, which may either lie flat upon the bottom or be swung upwardly. On the under side of the board, at its end opposite the pivot or hinge, are notches 27 to receive the upper end of a prop or brace 28, either pivoted on the bottom of the casket or separate therefrom, which prop or brace holds the board 26 at any desired adjustment.

The operation of my device is as follows: Until the lid is to be finally closed the rods and bolts 18 19 22 are held retracted by setscrews 19. The bottom 2 is entirely separated from the body of the casket by turning the cam-bolts 9 out of engagement with the holes 8 and swinging the hinge-leaves 8 back upon the bottom and beneath the loose drapery or covering. (Not shown in the drawings.) The bottom may now be used as a cooling-board, thus avoiding the very objectionable practice of-the indiscriminate use of the common cooling-board. .When the part 2 is thus employed, the elevating-board 26 at the head of the casket may be adjusted as desired and when raised may be held in place by the brace or prop 28. The body of the casket is slipped into place within the upturned flange 3, the hinge-leaves 8 are swung up against the inner sides and ends of the easket, and the cam-bolts 9 are given a quarterturn with a suitable wrench. The cams pressing upwardly upon the hinge-leaves now draw the parts 1 and 2 closely and rigidly together, compressing between them the packing 16,

thus forming a tight joint. The action of the screw-thread of bolt 9 also presses the hinge-leaf 8 closely against the part 1, giving additional rigidity to the connection. The manner of detachably securing the lid upon the part 1 and compressing the packing in the channel 15 is the same and will be understood without further description. The panel is the last part to be put into place. To accom plish this, the set-screws 19 are removed, which permits the spring 21 to project the bolts 19 and 22. The lugs 24. are slipped under the margin of the flange 5 by tilting the panel and moving it sidewise. The panel is now pressed down into horizontal position, the beveled ends of the bolts being forced back by their contact with the flange 5 until the margin of the flange is cleared, when the bolts by the pressure of the spring 21 are shot outwardly under the flange 5, thus permanently securing the panel in place and locking the casket so securely that to open it would require its destruction. The downward pressure upon the panel 6 necessary to bring it into locked position compresses the packing 17, thus forming a tight joint be tween the panel and the flange 5. It will be seen that the length of the joint between the lid and the panel is so limited that it becomes entirely feasible by means of the automatic locking mechanism to form an air-tight and water-tight joint between the two parts.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,- 1S' 1. Ina burial-casket, a body portion, a removable lid having an opening therethrough, means for manually fastening and clamping the lid to the body portion, said means when the lid is in place being accessible only through said opening in the lid, a panel to close said opening, and means for automat ically locking the panel to the lid, said automatic locking mechanism being inaccessible when locked in place upon the closed casket.

2.- A burial-casket comprising a body por-' tion, a removable bottom, a removable lid having an opening therethrough, normally inaccessible means within the casket for fastening and clamping said bottom and lid to said body portion, said lid-fastening, when the lid and bottom are in place, being accessible only through said opening, a panel to close said opening, means for automatically locking the panel to the lid, said automatic locking mechanism being inaccessible when locked in place upon the closed casket.

8. In a burial-casket, a screw-bolt entering the inner vertical wall thereof, an angular head upon said bolt, a flange on said bolt, a cam on said bolt, and a leaf pivotally secured to a horizontal portion of said casket and adapted to engage said cam and flange, in combination with a packing between said wall and said horizontal portion.

4:. In a burial-casket, a top, a pair of rods slidably secured lengthwise thereof, a com-- p'ression-springinterposed between saidrod s, In teetimony th at I/elain the foregoing a s bolts at the outer ends of said. rods,'1atera11yf my own I affix my signature in presence of; disposed'bo1ts,'conneetions between'seidlat twjo witn'esses. ten bolts and. said. rods,'a, flange toeng'age 7 JA S A. TURNEY. I 5 the outer ends of said bolts, inlocke'djposi Witnesses: l

tion, and beveled su faoes'upon saiebone CARL H. K L adapted to slide upon said flange. J OSEPH' RJLAWTON. 

